Crate.



No. 688,|27. PatentedDec. 3, I90l.

J. W. SAYRE.

CRATE.

(Application led Aug. 13, 1901.)

(lo Model.)

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' IINTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

.IAMES VILLIAM SAYRE, 4OF SENECA, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR TO JAMES WIL- LIAM SAYRE AND DANIEL W. GAHAGAN, OF SENECA, MISSOURI.

CRATE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 688,127', dated December 3, 1901. Application tiled August I3, 1901. Serial NogLQOO. (No model.)

T all whom, it Trl/(ty concer-7o:

Be it known that I, JAMES WILLIAM SAYRE, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Seneca, in the county of Newton and State of Missouri, have invented a new and Improved Crate, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The invention relates to crates for shipping berries, fruit-s, butter, eggs, and other per- 1o ishable goods in boxes and like packages; and the object of the invention is to provide a new and improved shipping-crate arranged to hold a refrigerating material, such as ice or the like, to keep the contents of the crate in a cool imperishable condition for a long time and during transportation of the crate from one place to another.

The invention consists of novel features and part-s and combinations of the same, as

zo will be fully described hereinafter and then pointed out in the claims.

An embodiment of the invention is represented in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which simi- 2 5 lar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure l is a perspective View of the improvement with the cover shown removed. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the same 3o with the cover in position, and Fig. 3 is a transverse section of thesame.

The shipping-crate consists, essentially, of a box A, preferably of rectangular form and adapted to be closed on the top by a cover B.

In the box A are arranged transverse spaced partitions C, and longitudinal partitions D extend from one transverse partition O to another, the longitudinal partitions being spaced from the front and rear of the box A, so as to 4o form a central refrigerating-chamber adapted to be filled with ice or other suitable refrigerating material E, preferably wrapped up in an insulating material to prevent the ice from melting too quickly. V'Ihe transverse partitions O and Athe longitudinal partitions D form storage-compartments for the boxes or other packages F, containing the products to be shipped in the crate, said boxes or packages being preferably arranged in tiers, as is 5o plainly indicated in Figs. 2 and 3. The several storage compartments are connected with each other by cut-out portions O in the ends of the transverse partitions O, as is plainly illustrated in the drawings, to allow the air to circulate from one compartment to the other. The compartments located at the sides of the refrigerating chamber are in communication with the upper end thereof by having the upper edges ot' the partitions D extending a distance from the top of the 6o box to insure cooling of the air as the same circulates.through the crate and passes over the refrigerating*chamber. In order to increase the circulation of air through the box, the front and back thereof are preferably cut out at the lower portion, as indicated at A' in Figs. 1 and 3.

In order to allow of conveniently recharging the refrigerating-chamber with ice without disturbing the contents of the box, I pro- 7o vide the cover B with an opening B in register with the upper end of the refrigeratingchamber, so that the ice can be replenished whenever deemed necessary. The opening B is normally closed byan auxiliary coverB2, nailed or otherwise fastened to the main cover B.

It is understood that by allowing the air to circulate in the box and cooling the air during'the circulation the contents of the boxes 8o or other packages F are kept in a perfect state of kpreservation for a considerable length of time to allow of readily shipping otherwise perishable products from one place to another. n

Having thus fully described my invention,

I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent-- l. Ashipping-crate comprisingabox,trans verse partitions secured in said box and each 9o provided at the upper end corners with the cut-out portions adapted to form openings which establish communication between the storage-compartments of the crate, and longitudinal partitions secured to the transverse partitions to form therewith a central refrigerantchamber, and the side storage-chambers, the upper edges of the longitudinal partitions lying below the top edges of the transverse partitions at the highest parts thereof, roo

whereby circulating-spaces are produced between the refrigerant-chamber and the side storage-chambers.

2. A shipping-crate, comprising a box having an opening at the lower end, and adapted to be closed by a cover, a charging-opening in said cover, an auxiliary cover for closing said charging-opening, transverse partitions secured in said box, to divide the latter into end and side storage-chambers, said transverse partitions having their upper corners cut out to provide spaces adapted to connect said storage-compartments with each other, and longitudinal` partitions secured to the transverse partitions to form therewith a centrai refrigeratirig-chamber in registry with the chargingopening in said cover, said lonv gitudinal partitions having their upper edges disposed belowr the top edges of the transverse partitions and forming spaces to connect the upper end of the refrigerating-chamber with the said storage-chamber.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of tWo subscribing Witnesses.

JAMES WILLIAM SAYRE.

Witnesses:

JIM lVIcGANNoN`7 F. R. ONEIL. 

